MIZUKAGAMI

This is an intriguing album from Japan, and one that has already been gaining many favourable reviews on the web. The fact that it has been released in Europe on Musea, as well as on Poseidon in their native Japan, means that it is relatively easy to get hold of. That is an important fact and although this album is sung in Japanese, this is something that all discerning progheads are going to want to have in their collection. Like many Japanese prog albums, there are some very dreamy and reflective passages but what makes this album stand out are not only the clear pure (and very Japanese) vocals of female lead singer Tanaami Futaba but also the way that they are attempting to bring together some traditional music with very Western prog. They also aren't afraid to let rip and give the instruments a good work out, something that makes them stand out from many others.

This is symphonic prog with a heavy use of synths, but while they may be looking to the Seventies and Tull/ELP/King Crimson there are also elements of more modern bands such as IQ. The quiet and pleasant passages are more then offset by the complicated ones that follow, so that even though it isn't possible to understand the words there is more than enough going on to make this an interesting and varied listen. This is something that many progheads will enjoy.

Originally appeared in Feedback #78, April 2004